Heartstrings Twisted
by randomnormality07
Summary: A minor tragedy brings a new face to the Avenger Tower and with it reveals the Stark Family's greatest secret. Tony Stark's sister, Cassie. Eventual Bucky/OFC. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**Heartstrings Twisted**

Summary:

A minor tragedy brings a new face to the Avenger's Tower. A new face who identifies herself as Tony's sister, though not in name.

Author's Note:

This story is written for fun. This will also be an eventual Bucky/OFC romance, but slow-build. This is a rather typical story line, but I plan on making it different for a reason. The biggest reason: Cas will NOT become an Avenger at any point. She will be familiar with the team as time progresses, but definitely not an Avenger. I'm going off of canon-movie that insinuates Tony is about twenty-seven when the first Iron Man movie takes place, and as the series of movies aren't finished yet, this takes place somewhat in the future (about three years), after all the chaos is over. So, Tony is about thirty-two, which places Cas at twenty-five. I won't be going into any details of the movies, but instead just playing with the characters.

* * *

 **Chapter One  
** _Flare_

* * *

Her fingers tremble. It isn't noticeable, the fine tremors nestled beneath the heavy, grey wool of the shock blanket the EMT's had thrown over her shoulders in haste. Light hazel-green eyes peer up at the building that once housed her loft apartment and she can feel the tightness in her chest grow with each passing moment. There's a pounding in her ears, the faint twitch of her pulse pumping just beneath her pierced earlobe. The tension isn't new, but definitely not welcome. She ponders over the loss, all of her things, everything important trapped within the burning inferno the firefighters were struggling to contain and put out.

 _Stupid fucking college douchebags._

"Cassie!"

At the familiar, slightly frantic voice, the dark-haired woman blinks and finds herself staring into bold, bright blue eyes surrounded by white-blonde hair. Gorgeous and tall with curves in all the right places, Tatiana Goldsmith is the epitome of everything she could never be. Blinking, the dark-haired, dazed young woman realizes her dear friend has been calling her name, repeatedly if the worried expression is anything to go by.

"Tia," she murmurs, feeling a warm, sun-kissed hand gently clasp her cold, pale and trembling fingers, "Tia...they're gone. All of 'em."

"I know, Honey, but you're still here and we can fix everything else," Tatiana says, her other hand moving to rub up along the side of the blanket, the friction helping to bring more warmth. "C'mon, let's get you out of here. Did the EMT's recommend a hospital visit for you?"

Hazel eyes watch as a long black bag is wheeled out to one of the ambulances, the stench of charred flesh causing her stomach to churn, "No. No hopsital. I want to go _home_."

The young woman is so deeply thankful that she doesn't have to elaborate more than that. Tatiana nods her head and helps her to her feet; guiding her toward the beautiful sporty car. The moment her head rests against the back of the seat, she is poked in the shoulder, her eyes popping open to find a sun-kissed palm holding two pills. Sighing, Cassie pops both of them without prompt and swallows a mouthful of water from the offered bottle.

"Thanks, Tia." Cassie sighs, her forehead coming to rest against the cold window.

Rock music plays softly, the silence between them comfortable, despite the heaviness the tragedy brought. Cassie lets out another sigh as the scenary passes her by and her eyes slide shut; training her focus on the music.

* * *

It's early evening at the Avenger's Tower, various team members all seated at the large table. Multiple conversations flowed at once, mixing together in a vortex of friendly bickering, scientific babble and pop culture references. It had taken a lot, many years and a decent amount of in-fighting for the team to have grown comfortable enough that even the harsher jabs of humor earned a response of sharp laughter and even sharper wit. It wasn't often that the team was able to come together, everyone busy with their everyday lives; but once every two weeks the team would settle in for a dinner and catch up.

This evening, Bruce and Tony conversed over topics that no one else could really understand. Bucky and Natasha bantered over horror stories, their words shifting from English to Russia with an ease that leaves all those around them confused. Thor is regailing Clint and Pepper of his most recent trip to Asgard, of Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. Sam and Rhodes were throwing out new pop culture information Steve is still trying to catch up on.

The dinner is a pleasant one.

" _Sorry to interrupt your dinner, Boss_ ," the feminine AI, Friday, calls out suddenly, " _but Miss Cas is currently taking the private elevator up to your current position_."

The interruption causes Tony, Rhodes and Pepper to all jolt out of their chairs, Tony's eyes wide with concern, "What kind of state is she in?"

 _"Elevated heart rate. Minor neurotic twitches. Hitched breathing. She doesn't seem to be visibly responding to anything. I'd go so far as to say she is in a minor state of shock, Boss."_

Tony nods and turns his gaze to his fiance, "Pep, can you put a kettle on the stove?"

Pepper leaves the table after pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. The team watches as Rhodes, who already made it around the table, places a hand on his best friend's shoulder. Rhodes whispers something that is too low to hear and Tony nods curtly before the dark-skinned man slips out of the kitchen. Various members of the team share looks of concern when the resident genius billionaire begins pacing back and forth, his hand constant combing through his hair and tugging at it with a nervous air. Steve eyes his friend with worry.

"Tony-"

A small chime sounds as the elevator doors open. All eyes watch as a small, petite woman steps off, her gait stilted and forced. Her simple loungewear clothing ruffled and multiple rips decorate the fabric. Dark, unkempt curls frame a pale face, hazel eyes blank and not even acknowledging the rest of the team as her gaze focuses on Tony. She doesn't slow, nor does she speed up. She doesn't even stop her approach until she walks full-bodied into Tony, his arms not even hesitate to embrace the silent girl. Tony tightens his grip around the girl, inhaling deeply. His shoulders tense before he gently pulls out of the hug, his hands resting on her upper arms.

"You smell like smoke."

"My building caught on fire," the girl replies, her voice toneless.

"While you were inside?" The team aren't sure how this person has managed to make Tony Stark sound frantic.

She nods curtly, holding up her hand to show the minor burn marking her palm, small cuts and knicks along her fingers, "I'm fine."

Tony's finger trails over the burn mark, "Fire escape?" She nods, "How did you get here?"

"Tia gave me a ride."

Tony makes a small humming sound, "What happened?"

"A bunch of dumb ass college kids decided to _party like a boss_ ," her voice tinges with a sharp, angry sarcastic edge, "and when their curtain caught on fire, those drunk assholes ignored the fire estingquisher and used whatever booze they had to try and put out the fire."

Tony give a low sounding groan at the utter stupidity, "How bad is the damage?"

"Irreversable. Absolutely nothing is salvageable," her tone grows more firm as a desperate anger flickers through her eyes, "My phone. My tablet. My cat. My fucking bed." She mindlessly jabs Tony in the chest, "And the worst part of it all, is all of my fucking clothes; every last scrap, all of it, gone. My _clothes_ , Tony."

A harsh disbelieving scoff sounds from the dinner table, and Bucky's voice cuts through the pair, "You're upset over _clothes?_ "

Tony visible winces as the girl's spine straightens and her light hazel-green eyes instantly pins on the ex-assassin, "Oh, I'm sorry," Bucky blinks at the genuinely apologetic tone, despite the sharpness of her gaze, "Do I know you?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Bucky quips.

She nods slowly, humming, "Right, and do you know me?"

Bucky lets out a bark of a laugh, "Dollface, I'm pretty sure not a single person sitting at this table knows who you are."

The smarmy tone in his voice causes Steve to shoot his best friend a glare, but the woman's head tilts, her eyes assessing Bucky and her expression softens, "Aww...now that's just adorable" Even though her expression was coy, there was a faint, underlying tone of dry, cynical wit beneath her voice, "Tony, you never told me your newfound friends were all so snarky and judgemental. It _really_ makes a person feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

A few members of the team wince at the sarcasm, but Bucky only sits more upright in an attempt to respond, only for the girl to wave dismissively, "Meh. While I'm sure this conversation is bound to be _extremely_ stimulating, I really don't have the care for it," Bucky's mouth shuts almost immediately at her words, her attention falling on Tony once again, "It's been a very long and trying day and I'm pretty damn sure my threshold is stretched thin enough as it is," Tony startles, his glare pulling away from the dark-haired ex-assassin, the concern obvious. The woman simply pats his cheek with a gentle touch, "All I want to do is crash for the next sixteen hours and wish upon everything that might be holy that this day is just a very bad dream."

"Hello, Cassie."

Every person in the dining room perk up at the sound of Pepper's greeting, the strawberry-blonde CEO approaching the snarky, slightly-rude woman. Those watching are surprised when a genuine, but small smile appears on the dark-haired woman's lips, her eyes lighting up, "Hiya, Pep."

"Here. It's Chamomile, two sugars, and a twist of lemon," Pepper says, handing a mug of tea to the woman.

Those with a well-trained eye notice Cassie's trembling hands take the tea from the red-head, her eyes sliding shut as she inhales its aroma deeply, "Mmm..." She doesn't hesitate to draw her first sip and as her eyes open, the hazel-green depths seem lighter, "Honestly, Pep, you are a saint among insects. If you ever get tired of Tony's bullshit, you let me know. I would bed you myself if I thought you were game."

Tony's hand slaps against his own forehead, even as Clint, Steve and Sam choke on their own tongues. Surprisingly, Pepper flushes a faint, pink hue and giggles at the young woman, "You talk as if you wouldn't be a handful."

Cassie's friendly smile turns into a sultry smirk as her eyes flick down to her own chest, then back to Pepper, "Oh, definitely more than a handful."

"Cas!"

"Tony!" the woman cries out mockingly.

"Will you please stop hitting on Pepper?"

Cassie taps her chin thoughtfully, "Have you sealed the deal yet? Exchanged vows?" Tony groans and shakes his head, causing Cassie to wink in Pepper's direction, "Well, then no. I don't think I will."

Pepper lets out a small, twinkling laugh, even as Tony leans close to the newcomer, eyeing her face. Tony sighs and nudges the hand holding the tea, "Drink up. Your exhausted and your meds are kicking in."

"Mmhmm...where am I staying?"

"My room," Tony replies, his tone leaving no room for arguments, "I was planning on pulling an all-nighter anyway with some last minute diagnostic tests for some new tech the company is putting out. So, you can take me room. Rhodey should be done fixing it up."

"Mmm...well, since you have Pep, can I sleep with Jay?" Cassie flutters her eyelashes, "I promise it's only to cuddle."

Tony lets out a small, honest laugh and embraces the woman once more, kissing the side of her head, "Yes, but keep those crafty hands of yours to yourself. You have your own best friend, no need to steal mine."

"Careful there, brother dearest," Several choked noises and sounds of shock fill the room as Cassie pats Tony's cheek once again, "You're starting to make it sound like a challenge."

"Go to bed, Cas!"

The young woman sighs, nodding her head before pressing a kiss to Tony's cheek before disappearing from the dining room. Tony stares after, even as Pepper shoulders her purse and kisses Tony's cheek, "I'm going to make some calls and clear your schedule for the next two days. Don't forget to check on her in a few hours."

"You truly are a saint, Pep," his gaze softens, "Take my card tomorrow and see about getting Cas some clothes. Friday, I need you to air out one of the guest rooms and modify it to Cas' settings."

 _"On it, Boss."_

Pepper nods and is given a gentle kiss for her help before she slips out of the kitchen.

Utter silence. The sudden tension in the room is sharp and heavy.

"Did she just call you brother dearest?"

Clint's question causes Tony's shoulders to tense, and even as he turns to face the team, his entire stance is defiant, from clenched jaw to squared shoulders and straightened posture.

"What of it?"

Steve pushes up to his feet, "I thought we were past keeping secrets from each other."

The usual Stark-smirk and haughty, know-it-all expression is missing as Tony stares blankly at the blonde super soldier, "I'm pretty sure we agreed that we would no longer keep secrets that directly effect the team. Cas is not, and will _never_ be a member of this team."

"How in the hell is it that the world doesn't know about there being another Stark running around?" Clint blurts out.

Tony drops his gaze briefly, his expression veiled by memories, before he says, "I was five, maybe on the verge of six, years old the first time I was ever kidnapped and used for ransom against my dad. When my mom was pregnant with Cas, she pleaded with my dad to keep it quiet, that she didn't want the new baby placed in danger. My dad was reluctant, until Cas was born," Tony's somber expression shifts with a small smile, "Dad made the doctor and the at-home nurses sign Non-Disclosure Agreements, that they would never speak of Cas' birth. Everyone outside of family and the houseworkers who came across Cas were forced to sign them."

"Your parents hid the fact that they had a second child?" Thor's deep voice is booming, even when it is soft.

Tony nods, "Cas was home schooled, and when she started showing the typical accelerated intelligence that all Stark's possess, her tutor sat with my parents and went over options. So, Cassandra Stark became Cassie DuBois and attended a specialized all-girls boarding school in New England."

"Yeah, well Pepper and Rhodes seem to know her pretty well," Bucky says, marking the hole in Tony's story.

Tony's eyes slide in Bucky's direction, "Yeah, well, Rhodey came with me to my parents' funeral for moral support and Cas and I didn't really care at the time," Bucky flinches, "and Pepper only found out about her prior to me going public as Iron Man."

"Yet you never trusted us?"

"It's not my secret to tell, Rogers," Tony's voice takes on a sharper edge, "Rhodey and Pepper both found out through circumstance. I never _told_ anyone. Trust me, it's a conditioned response. I don't talk about her. We keep in contact by hidden means, but I don't talk about her. To anyone."

"You still should have trusted us. We're your friends, your family."

"So was Obe!" Tony shouts, arm sweeping through the air.

The following silence is broken by Natasha this time, "Now it all makes sense," Eyes turn on her, "Pepper had gathered enough evidence to put Stane away for the rest of his life. No red tape, no possible loop holes for him to use. Stane would have been locked away and your comapny would have been back in your hands." Tony's fingers curl into tight fists when Natasha looks up at him, "Yet you killed him."

"Damn right I killed that greedy bastard. He _knew_ she wanted nothing to do with Stark Industries. He was _there_ the day she was born, the day she gave up the Stark name. _And he still took her_." Tony spits out, vicious in his anger, "I might be a selfish man, and I have a shit tonne of flaws, but _nothing_ comes before her. Not my company. Not Pepper. Not Rhodey. Not even this fucking team comes before her safety, her security."

Tony looks away from Natasha and eyes the somber Captain, "So no, I _don't_ talk about her. To anyone. And it isn't personal, not a slight against any of you. I still have my parents Will that states whenever she feels ready, she can take back the Stark name and everything that comes with it. She's _twenty-five_ and not once has she wanted it."

"Ouch. Kinda harsh," Barton remarks.

Tony let out a rush of air, fingers combing through his hair, "No. She doesn't hate our family. She's spent so much time, building her own life and making a name for herself, that she doesn't _need_ the Stark name. She wants the world to know her as she is, not because she's a Stark."

The tension is broken when Rhodes saunters back in, "Hey, Tones. Gorgeous is down for the count."

"I'm kind of surprised she didn't snag you as a pillow," Tony remarks.

"She was out before I even managed to get her shoes off. I just stayed long enough to make sure she was in it deep enough," Rhodes replies.

Tony's sighs once again, "Yeah. She's gonna need a new phone and tablet. I'm going to head down to my shop, see if I can pull up anything she may have backed up."

Without a second glance to his fellow comrades, Tony Stark left the room of shocked and somber heroes. Rhodes eyes the group for a brief moment before following after his friend.

"Anyone else find it amusing that some little slip of a girl practically deemed our illustrious Winter Soldier unimportant?"

Barton's snark earns him a cuff across the back of the head by his long-time friend and partner, Natasha.


	2. Chapter 2

**Heartstrings Twisted**

Summary:

A minor tragedy brings a new face to the Avenger's Tower. A new face who identifies herself as Tony's sister, though not in name.

Author's Note:

This story is written for fun. This will also be an eventual Bucky/OFC romance, but slow-build. This is a rather typical story line, but I plan on making it different for a reason. The biggest reason: Cas will NOT become an Avenger at any point. She will be familiar with the team as time progresses, but definitely not an Avenger. I'm going off of canon-movie that insinuates Tony is about twenty-seven when the first Iron Man movie takes place, and as the series of movies aren't finished yet, this takes place somewhat in the future (about three years), after all the chaos is over. So, Tony is about thirty-two, which places Cas at twenty-five. I won't be going into any details of the movies, but instead just playing with the characters.

* * *

 **Chapter Two  
** _Stutter and Flush_

* * *

Waking up is a slow process. The familiar smell of cologne and perfume mixing with oil and grease causes the petite woman to roll over on her side, pulling the blanket with her as she snuggles into the familiar scent. Feeling awareness begin to trickle in, she heaves a slow sigh, eyes fluttering open. Blinking back the fuzzy details, her hand immediately lashes out, groping for the nearby nightstand. Fingers curl around the bold-rimmed, rectangular-framed glasses and Cassie sighs as she pulls herself upright, hand automatically putting the glasses on her face.

With her vision more clear, a yawn slips out as her arms stretch over her head, gaze lazily scanning the bedroom. Spying a nondescript box settled on a desk, Cassie slips out from beneath the warm covers and bare feet pad along the cool floors. Opening the envelope resting on top of the box, she recognizes the familiar, scratchy handwriting.

 _I managed to replace both your phone and your tablet, though I was unable to retrieve any data from your previous tablet. Phone has all of your contacts and is registered to your previous phone number._

 _-T_

Smiling at her brother's thoughtfulness, she retrieves the items from the box and immediately winces at the numerous missed calls and text messages on her phone. Rolling her eyes as the texts become more and more frantic, she shakes her head before shooting off a reply. Grabbing her bluetooth earpiece, she slips it in her ear and gives the room one more sweep; snagging one of Pepper's hair ties. Exiting the bedroom, she yawns, fingers combing through her mess of curls before sweeping them back and up, effeciently tying them back into a half-assed ponytail. Rubbing at her chest, she allows her feet to lead the way, because damn if she can't think right without her morning tea.

It's quiet as she steps into the kitchen, her growing need for tea belied by the tea kettle already on the stove. Tilting her head, she lets the tip of her fingers ghost along the edge of the kettle; feeling for the temperature. Deeming it warm enough, she finds a mug before she pulls open the cupboard with a collection of tins.

 _Hmm...Jasmine? No, not in the mood for. Mint? Ew, why would someone want that? English Breakfast? Blah, no thanks. Oh! Earl Grey! Perfect!_

Triumphant, she shifts up onto the tip of her toes and reaches for the tin. Her fingers barely coast along the edge of the tin when a choked, sputtering sounds from behind her. Too tired to really react properly, Cassie grasps the tin and drops back to her heels before turning.

 _Oh. I guess the kitchen wasn't as empty as I thought._

Feeling fuzzy on the details, she eyes the blonde-haired, blue-eyed man as his cheeks turn pink. Her eyes sweep over his flushed cheeks, strong jawline and thinks that the guy is pretty freaking adorable. Like a puppy.

 _Huh...I didn't think guys knew how to blush._

Beside the blonde is a dark-skinned man with an easy smile and pretty eyes. He's shorter than Jay, but carries more bulk around the shoulders and torso. Her head tilts as she eyes him briefly before she glances at the dark-haired man across from them. Chin-length hair. Another beautiful jawline. Damn, those cheekbones are gorgeous. This one is staring hard at his cup and something tickles the back of her mind, causing her gaze to linger.

An unseen light bulb flicks on and her fingers snap, index finger jabbing in the last man's direction, "You're the dick from the other night." The dark-skinned man chuckles as the blonde stutters and the man in question snaps his gaze in her direction. It's only when she realizes what she said that she winces, "Ugh...I have like...no filter, so seriously, ignore eighty-five percent of what comes out of my mouth." Silence follows her words and she wiggles her fingers at the trio, "Right, well, you guys can go back to whatever the hell yous was doin'. My brain doesn't function before tea."

The silence continues even after she turns back to fix herself a cup. Ignoring the open stool at the breakfast bar beside the dark-haired one, she doesn't even think twice about hoisting herself up on the counter, head resting on the cabinet behind her. Crossing her ankles, she hums with delight as she sips her tea.

A throat clears, "It's Cassie, right?"

Hmm...the dark-skinned man has a voice on him. Pretty. Articulate without being pompous. Her gaze settles on him as she nods, "Yeah. I guess we weren't properly introduced. Um...who is who?"

"Y-you don't know who we are?" the blonde one asks.

Shrugging a shoulder, she wiggles her hand in a 'so-so' manner, "I know vague details of public knowledge, but actual names? Not really. Just as I'm sure Tony has never spoken a word about me to any of you, he doesn't really talk about this..." She waves nonchalantly, "team to me. Keeps things separate. Which I appreciate, because if I had to think about every single time Tony came close to dying, I would have had a heart attack by now."

The blonde seems surprised, yet slightly guilty, even as the dark-skinned one motions to himself, "I'm Sam. This is Steve," He points to the blonde and then to the dark-haired man across from him, "and you've already had the pleasure of meeting Bucky."

"Oh..well..." She gives them a jaunty salute, "I'm Cassie, which you already know."

Sam nods, smiling, "I'm pleased to see you are feeling better. If you're hungry, you are welcome to some of the breakfast we made."

She eyes the mountain of food and her tongue rolls across the front of her teeth, flashing him a sheepish grin, "It looks delicious, but I can't."

"How come?" Steve asks, his head tilting in a manner that makes her want to ruffle his perfectly combed hair.

"I'm on a diet."

" _Diet_? Doll, I'm pretty damn sure ya don't need to be on a diet."

Sam rolls his eyes just as Steve shoots a glare in Bucky's direction. Cassie's head tilts, eyes sweeping over the confrontational man. She slowly becomes aware of their tension, as if they are waiting for something.

Oh! They're waiting for her response!

 _Didn't exactly make the best first impression did I?_

"Sorry, I was trying to figure out if I that was supposed to be condescending, or if it was a compliment," she quips, taking another sip of her tea, humming with delight as she licks her lips, "And what's wrong with being on a diet?"

"If anything you need to put more meat on your bones," Bucky responds.

Rolling her eyes, Cassie shakes her head, "What is it with this world? Either a woman is too skinny so she needs to eat a burger, or she's got a bit too much curves so feed her a fuckin' salad. I stick to a dietary regiment that keeps me _healthy._ I could care less about how much I weigh." Cassie eyes him once again, "Besides, a man shouldn't comment on a woman's weight. Really leaves a lot to be desired."

Something flickers in his eyes and she is surprised when those tasteful cheekbones take on a pink hue, "I didn't say there was anything wrong with your weight."

"You implied I am too skinny, which I'm not. I'm just...small. Compact." She shrugs a shoulder and waves a hand absentmindedly, "Fun-sized if you will. I'm naturally built this way."

"I didn't say there was anything wrong with you."

"No, you just thought it was necessary to comment about my personal decision of making healthy choices," she points out, feeling her lips being to twitch as Bucky grows more and more irritated.

 _Okay, so this one is just too freaking adorable._

"You can eat whatever you want? What do I care?"

She nods, "Well, at least we can agree on _something_."

Her earpiece chimes and she taps against it, "It is seriously way too fucking early to have you calling me."

 _"Right, well, the next time I think you kicked the bucket, I'll keep my personal worry on your behalf buried."_

Rolling her eyes, she leans her head back against the cabinet, "That would be my preference. What do you want, Cal? I haven't even finished my first cup of tea."

 _"Tatiana called and told me about the fire. How bad is it?"_

Groaning, she leans her head foreward behind allowing her head to fall back with a firm, but not painful thud, "A month's worth, at least. I'll have to put in a few extra hours at the warehouse to make up for it."

 _"Your drafts were on your tablet."_

"Which I sent to the warehouse via sync up."

 _"Sync up?"_

"Yeah, you know, before I got myself the hell out of there? I had just enough time to sync my tablet up to the warehouse. I transferred all of it out and _presto, mi amor_."

 _"Are you insane?"_

"No. But, then most insane people think they are sane, so really, the question should be, am I sane?"

 _"This isn't a joke, Cassie!"_

"Yeah, I know, Cal, but if all you called for was to bitch about the total clusterfuck of a situation, I would have prefered radio silence."

 _"Be at the warehouse, tomorrow."_

"Dude, fuck you. What part of 'my entire fucking apartment went up in flames' did you not understand? I'm taking at least one additional day to recover and _then_ I will head over to the warehouse."

 _"Fine."_

"Goodbye, Cal."

Hanging up, she groans, fingers moving to rub at her temples. Pouting at the last of her tea, she is about to climb down and fix herself another cup when she see a pair of gloved hands holding a fresh cup. Following the hands, she blinks at Bucky in surprise.

"Here. Two sugars and a splash of milk."

"Is it poisoned?"

"What? No, it's just a cup of tea."

She giggles at the indignant expression on his face, "Sorry, you're a little to easy to mess with." She takes the cup from him and smiles, "Thank you, Bucky."

The man drops back out of her space and nods in a jerky fashion. Inhaling deeply, Cassie feels the remaining sleep tension slide from her body before she takes a sip. An easy exhale releases through her nostrils as she swallows, a soft hum erupting from her throat.

"Cas!"

Her eyes pop open at the familiar voice and spying the tall, dark-skinned Colonel standing at the entrance of the kitchen, her eyes light up and her smile broadens, "Jay!"

Absently she feels Bucky move away just as Colonel James Rhodes saunters across the distance. Embraced in familiar arms, Cassie lets out a giggle and returns the hug. For the longest time, Jay had been the only person that knew the truth, and much like he adopted her brother, Jay seemed to have taken her into his tight inner circle.

"Glad you're awake, Gorgeous," Cassie's gaze drops at the familiar nickname, feeling a faint abashed heat trickle along the back of her neck, "and I'm saying this because I love you, but you might want to go put on some clothes."

 _Clothes?_

Cassie blinks in confusion before glancing down at herself. Oh damn. Now she gets the avoiding looks. Tony's simple white, long-sleeved button-down dress shirt doesn't cover much. Shows way too much leg for her comfort. Cringing internally, Cassie lifts her gaze and flashes her friend a sheepish grin.

"Last time I checked, my clothes were ash."

"Which is why Pepper went out yesterday while you were sleeping and bought you a few things."

"Pepper bought me clothes?!"

She can't even bother hiding her excitement as she drains the last of her tea and carefully slides down from the counter. Patting Jay on the arm, she gives the trio a jaunty salute before rushing off.

"They're in the room Friday set up for you!"

* * *

"She seems like she's doing better."

Sam Wilson's voice pulls Bucky's attention away from the empty entrance way. Colonel James Rhodes, who prefers to be known as Rhodey, nods his head, a soft smile on his face. The ex-assassin is still trying to wrap his head around the difference between Cassie's arrival the other night and the Cassie that had perched herself on the counter and grinned with the excitement most see in children.

 _Still has quite the foul-mouth on her._

"Tony never told her about us," Steve states, slowly, as if unsure of how he is supposed to proceed.

Bucky really isn't interested in the conversation. While he agrees with Steve (an omission of the truth _is_ a lie), Bucky can also see where Tony is coming from (he wouldn't have put anything before his sister). If Tony felt the need to separate Iron Man from whatever Stark Family issues he has, the man has every right in Bucky's eyes.

Besides, he hadn't been kidding when he said she was small. Out of the male members of the team, Tony is effectively one of the smallest in size (even if his personality dictates otherwise). _Natasha_ has a couple of inches on Cassie. So, Bucky can easily understand why Tony would be so protective. Especially if she's the type to wander around in nothing more than a dress shirt.

It's a wonder that Steve hadn't burst a blood vessel with the amount of blushing his buddy did.

"Morning everyone," Pepper greets as the strawberry-blonde sweeps into the kitchen, immediately seeking out the fresh pot of coffee. "Cassie is already awake I see."

Rhodey nods as he begins pulling ingredients from the fridge, "Yeah. She just went to put on more than just Tony's dress shirt."

Pepper snorts, not the least bit surprised, "Neither of them have much shame, do they?"

No. Bucky doesn't agree with that. He recalls the way her eyes flickered with distaste as she peered down at the creamy expanse of her thighs. The relaxed posture shifting with discomfort. Bucky would put money on it that Cassie had no idea she wasn't dressed properly.

 _Her brain truly doesn't function before a cup of tea._

"Pepper! What fresh hell is this?!"

Lifting his gaze, Bucky swallows thickly at the tight-fitting deep-green dress. It's the type of dress he's seen Pepper wear frequently. Despite the off-the-shoulder neck line exposing the top of her shoulders and chest, the cut is modest. The long sleeves come to a stop along the back of her hands. The fabric is some form of cotton, woven tightly over the swell of her bust, the full, but flat of her stomach, the wide curve of her hips and tight along the expanse of thigh before stopping a few inched above her knees.

Her bare toes wiggle with discomfort.

Bucky feels his head tilt before he can stop himself. He really doesn't get the point of her being on a diet. Sure, she isn't the ideal size, and from the look of her hips she will never amount to a size 0. Definitely not what people would consider 'skinny'.

 _But, damn._

"You look gorgeous, Gorgeous."

Bucky catches the subtle twitch of her eyebrow at Rhodey's words, and her posture shifts, "I feel naked. Can I go back to wearing Tony's shirt?"

"No!" Pepper and Rhodey chime together. Pepper shakes her head, "You're showing less now than what you were wearing the shirt."

Cassie glances down, distaste in her expression, "It's very constricting."

"Constricting? Cassie, Gorgeous, you do remember what you wear on a daily basis, right?"

Cassie glares at Rhodey, "Yeah, but there's something to be said about _layers_ , Rhodey. Besides, it's dull, boring. I might actually skip out early and swing by the warehouse. Save myself from this...monotony. Honestly, Pep, you're beautiful and bodacious, but _how_ can you do this to yourself on a daily basis?"

Bucky can't help the small mental laugh as he sees her visibly shudder, even as Rhodey uses the spatula to point in her direction, "You aren't doing anything until you recover."

"Oh my God! You do know it was my _loft_ that caught on fire and not actually myself, right? I'm not an invalid."

"Maybe not, but you are the one that stayed _in_ a burning building in order to transfer your electronic files."

Tony's sudden addition to the argument causes many people to fall silent. Cassie's shoulders drop, her head immediately bowing as she groans, "Seriously, Tony?"

"You really think I wouldn't have found out? Cas, what the hell?"

Cassie whirls around on her brother, "Oh fuck you _Iron Man_. If I didn't sync up the data transfer I would be completely _screwed_."

"That isn't more important than your life, Cassandra."

Bucky notes the shift in her disposition, her shoulders square off, her jaw clenches and she takes a step toward her brother, "I could say the same for you, _Anthony_. You think I enjoy watching _with_ the world while you throw yourself into whatever mayhem might be happening?" Cassie shakes her head, waving her hand at Tony in a dismissive manner, "No. It's totally okay for you to throw yourself into harm's way for people that would normally spit in your direction on any given day, but for me to do it to save _my own_ desires, now the world is falling apart. A bit of a double-standard."

"I could have retrieved those files for you, Cas."

Cassie's stance relaxes at Tony's voice, "I know, but I hate relying on anyone else. You know that. I'll be surprised if I can last a month living under your roof. Makes me all...twitchy just thinking about it."

Rolling his eyes, Tony gently pokes her in the forehead, "I don't care. Serious, Cas. You ever pull a stunt like that again, I will burst right through our agreement and I won't give a damn who finds out."

"Whatever," Cassie scoffs, "Oh, and tell your woman to get better taste in clothes."

Tony's gaze finally sweeps over her and immediately his eyes widen, "Pep! I said buy her clothes! That isn't clothes!"

"It's a dress, Tony."

"No! If you were wearing it, I'd call it a dress. Good God, Cas, please tell me you'll go pick up your own clothing."

Cassie gives him an affronted look, "Of course I am. I was just telling Pep that it's too tight, it's tasteless and boring."

"And it makes your ass look fat."

"Anthony Edward Stark! I know you didn't call your sister fat!"

"What?! No. I said her _ass_ is fat."

"I can't believe-"

"Hey, I'll have you know that I _like_ my fat ass."

"Yeah, well the rest of the world can just not look at it."

Bucky can hear Sam and Steve fighting down their laughter at the ironic sight of infamous ex-playboy Tony Stark frantic and looking about one step away from throwing a blanket over his sister. It is kind of funny. Bucky only feels the slightest hint of discomfort at Cassie's easy acceptance of Tony's rude commentary.

"Are they always like this?" Steve asks, looking over at Rhodey as the man places a plate of scrambled egg whites, honey-wheat toast and a small bowl with yogurt and blueberries.

"Definitely," Rhodey replies, smiling, "It gets amusing when Tony ends up digging himself into a hole and has both Pepper and Cassie mad at him. This is mild though." He shakes his head before calling over, "Gorgeous, come eat your breakfast. A person can't live on tea alone."

Cassie climbs onto the stool next to Bucky, "Maybe _you_ can't live on tea alone." She retorts before flashing Bucky a small smile, "Can you pass the pepper?"

Handing her the small, pepper mil, Bucky bites back any possible comments. So far, anything he's said has come out wrong. Maybe once his fingers stop twitching with the mild desire to cover her as well. Not that there's anything wrong with the dress.

Except that she isn't comfortable in it.

 _What the hell is wrong with me?_

* * *

 **Author Note: Oh wow. I honestly wasn't expecting so many fav/follows. Really, I am flattered.**

 **Reviewers:**

 **Abstract0118: Thank you so much for your review. I plan on giving them a solid foundation before building upon it. Despite the initial acceptance that both characters do find the other attractive in some manner, that won't change the fact that the romance will take awhile to show up.**

 **Guest: Thank you and I am trying to make Cassie a realistic person. She has a quirks, her likes and her dislikes and yes, in case you haven't noticed by now, she is obsessed over clothes.**

 **pikacoregirl: Thank you very much and I hope this new chapter pleases you.**

 **Mai: Thanks! And yes, I am falling more in love with Cassie the more I write.**

 **Author Note:**

 **EVERYTHING HAS A POINT! I promise, Cassie's reactions, her quirks, everything has a reason, but like most people in this world, you aren't going to know her entire story just as you meet her.**

 **Thanks again, and leave a review.**


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